112 JUNE. 



No. 13 (Ent. Annual, 1st edit. p. 64 ; 2nd edit. p. 86), 

 " l the black and white larva, not unlike that of Gelechia 

 rufescens,' was found by Mr. Harding at Deal, on the 

 Origanum vulgar e, at the end of June." (Ent. 

 Annual, 1856, p. 53.) 



And now, dear reader, I will close this chapter with 

 a few words of advice, which I hope will be of service 

 to you. We have now entered upon the most prolific 

 season of the year in insect life ; the fields and woods 

 are alive with insects, and the tyro may be tempted to 

 take, and undoubtedly will take, all he can of the 

 " little gem-like atoms of God's creation" so profusely 

 scattered abroad ; but I sincerely hope that when he 

 has taken them, brought them home, and killed them, 

 he will set them, and not allow them to remain in his 

 laurel box until they become mouldy, or take them out, 

 insert a pin through the thorax of each specimen, then 

 stick them with their wings closed in a store box, or on 

 a spare piece of cork, and then leave them to take care 

 of themselves, or to become a prey to mites, spiders 

 and mould, instead of increasing his stock of duplicates 

 wherewith to oblige his friends who are in need of the 

 species he thus wastes. Such conduct brings its own 

 punishment : mites make their appearance in his col- 

 lection (and it is remarkable that these creatures seldom 

 attack common insects; and I believe almost every 

 Entomologist will confirm my statement, that it is 

 usually the rarest insects that first become their prey) ; 

 spiders are fostered, dirt is engendered, and lazy, indo- 

 lent habits are formed insensibly by the tyro until he 

 loses his energy, and his collection falls into decay. 



